Policy on Discrimination in New York

Statement of Issue 

Racism in New York has been on the rise, and this been attributed to the social relations between people of different races. Even though the society condemns those who engross racism, harassment and racial discrimination in workplaces, schools and public areas remain a critical issue. When it comes to workplaces, most managers fail to discourage racial issues which take place in the workplace (Vaz, 2014). In addition, in schools, most teachers tend to keep quiet, or even support racial activities in the school, through favoring certain races. Teachers, federal governments and employers have also failed to implement neutral policies which can counter racism and protect the racial minorities. This is a factor which has put racial minorities at the risk of being discriminated by the racial majorities.

• The lack of policies protecting minorities in schools, public areas and workplaces, has led to a huge number of children dropping out of schools, lack of employment for the racial minorities and poor social relations in public areas (Hughes, 2016).
• Employers’ failure to deal with racism in the workplaces, has also led to the discrimination of the minorities, since they cannot apply to jobs, due to the high requirements, required, thus limiting the racial minorities from getting the jobs (Witherspoon, Seaton & Rivas, 2016).

Policy Option    

• The teaching staff, federal government of New York, and employers’, have the mandate of ensuring that any form of racial discrimination is not tolerated either in public areas, workplaces or in schools. This can be done through advocating for equal treatment of the races, and through coming up policies protecting any forms of racial discrimination (Vaz, 2014).
• Advantages

Ensures all races are treated equally, regardless of whether they are the majorities or minorities (Hughes, 2016). In addition, it allows people of all races to relate with each other peacefully, thus making it easier for the city of New York to deal with the issue of racial discrimination. Finally, the issue of unemployment and drop out of schools by the minorities will be greatly reduced, and the number of employees from different races in the workplaces should also be equal (Witherspoon, Seaton & Rivas, 2016).  

• Disadvantages

Major companies will have to lay off some of their employees, in order to accommodate employees from other races, thus balancing the number of race in a company. In addition, most companies may run out of capital, due to the cost of laying off and recruiting new employees (Vaz, 2014).

• The society in general, should change the racial norm in New York, where houses of the Whites are segregated from those of the African Americans. African Americans and the whites should be allowed to mingle, and to live in similar areas around New York without any problems at all (Hughes, 2016).
• Advantages

African Americans and the whites will be able to live peacefully without the fear of discrimination in New York (Witherspoon, Seaton & Rivas, 2016). Moreover, they will also easily mingle with other races, thus ensuring better relations between the races in the city (Vaz, 2014).

• Disadvantages

This may lead to the growth of classes, where whites might feel superior to the African Americans (Hughes, 2016).

Policy Recommendation

  Due to rate at which racial discrimination is growing in New York, this matter should be addressed within the shortest time possible (Witherspoon, Seaton & Rivas, 2016). The federal government should therefore come up with new strategies and implement new laws, of protecting any forms of racial discrimination either in public areas, workplaces or even in schools. In so doing, the issue of racial discrimination in the city of New York will be a thing of the past, and most people will be able to live peacefully regardless of their racial differences (Vaz, 2014).  

Reference

Vaz, M. (2014). “We Intend to Run It”: Racial Politics, Illegal Gambling, and the Rise of Government Lotteries in the United States, 1960–1985. Journal Of American History, 101(1), 71-96.

Hughes, R. (2016). Teaching Note Race, Housing, and the Federal Government: Black Lives on the Margins of the American Dream. Radical Teacher, (106), 138-140.

Witherspoon, D. P., Seaton, E. K., & Rivas-Drake, D. (2016). Neighborhood Characteristics and Expectations of Racially Discriminatory Experiences Among African American Adolescents. Child Development, 87(5), 1367-1378.